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Ella attempts not to be a colossal klutz. PM Canto: It's a slow dance, so it's not hard! Just move around to the music and follow your partner's lead. PM Canto: Man: So. What's your name? PM Ella: I'm Ella. You? PM Canto: Man: Max. Max Stintson. You new here? PM Ella: Very. PM Canto: Max: so, what's your trick? PM Ella: Look at your hand. *there is a tiny shadow person sitting upon it* PM Canto: Max: Huh, that's a neat one. PM Ella: *the shadow looks up and waves at him* PM Canto: Max: So you can control shadows? PM Ella: Yep. I found out there's an actual name for it, rather than "ELLA QUIT SCARING MY CUSTOMERS." PM Canto: Max: Customers? What did you do? PM Ella: I was in the circus. PM Canto: Max: Oh? What did you do? PM Ella: Fortune telling and such. PM Canto: Max: ... for real fortune telling? Because that's a thing. PM Ella: I know it's a thing. Just not a thing I did. PM Ella: I was mostly the "Oh, you will have a greeeeat life." sort of teller. PM Canto: Max: And you used your shadows for that? PM Ella: Yeh, pulling up an image and judging the poor fools' reactions to it is a great way to tell what sort of cryptic jibber-jabber will get a favorable response. PM Canto: Max: Hmm. I kinda did the same thing before I got discovered. Seperating fools from their money, that is. PM Ella: Always nice to meet a fellow opportunist. If you don't mind me asking, what's your "trick"? Telekinesis? *her eyes narrow very slightly, accompanied by a wide, toothy grin* PM Canto: Max blushes a bit. "No. I.. .well, I smell good. They call it pheromones. Like, I can exude these tiny particles that can put people at ease, or make people uncomfortable. Stuff like that. Can't make people do anything they wouldn't do, but I can make myself more convincing." PM Ella: Ah, that sounds like it could be amazingly useful, in the right situation. PM Ella: Mabe not in the rain, though. PM Canto: Max: Heh. YEah. But now I'm learning other stuffl. Like magic. I have a talent for it. PM Ella: If you have the knack, go for it! I might look into magic, myself. Mainly stuff that'll bolster my mental defenses. Stupid hypnotic limiter. PM Canto: Max: Huh? PM Ella: I can't talk about something, because I got hit with a hypnotic command. It's nothing you likely don't know, but dear stars-in-the-void, it makes certain conversations irritating. PM Canto: Max: Ohhhhh. Well, I don't know. I didn't even know you before tonight. But maybe vampires? You could talk to Frederich. He might be able to cancel it out. PM Ella: Good idea, I'll ask him about that some time. PM Canto: Max: Vampires are super good at that spooky hypnosis stuff. PM Canto: The song ends! PM Canto: Max: Well, it was good meeting you. I'm gonna get some food. PM Canto: Another young man comes over! This one with brown hair and brown eyes. "Can I get this next dance?" PM Ella: I don't see why not. ^_^ PM | Edited 7:38:02 PM Canto: New Guy: Ella Burke. At last we meet. PM Ella: Ah, you already know my name. Would you mind giving me yours? PM Canto: New Guy: Davey. I was supposed to meet you. But I got stabbed and killed by Thule agents. Nice to put a face to the name. PM Ella: You're not dead anymore? How does that work? PM Canto: New Guy: Oh, I'm still technically dead. Shh. Dont' freak out. Just keep dancing. PM Ella: I'm still in the "This is all some sort of weird dream" phase. Some horrible monstrousity could show up in a bathrobe and I'd likely react by saying something along the lines of "Oh, look, a thing." PM Canto: Davey: Ah, perhaps it is a dream. PM Ella: Followed by "Oh, that's not normal?" If people start panicking. PM Ella: If I wake up back in the circus, I'm punching Greta in the face. PM Ella: If this thing goes as far back as Iowa, I'll aim for Brian, instead. PM Canto: Davey: That's teh problem, isn't it? You were all tossed into the deep end and told to swim. There was no period of adjustment, nothing to let you catch your breath. PM Ella: And now we're all laying on the bottom, looking up at the waves. PM Canto: Davey: Very poetic. PM Ella: Indeed. Until what you thought was a banana leaps up and tries to eat your nose. PM Canto: Davey: That wasn't so poetic. PM Ella: Neither is most of the contents of "Periwinkle's Pop-up Bestiary." PM Ella: Or much of life, for that matter. PM Canto: Davey: No, not so much. So far undeath isn't terribly poetic, either. PM Ella: If you don't mind me asking, were you... recently turned? As in right after that guy stabbed you to death? Or was it just "Welp, I got knocked down again." PM Canto: Davey: I was recently reanimated by the Thule society. We dont' have much longer before someone recognizes me, I figure. They wanted me to ask you a question. PM Ella: What kind of a question? PM Canto: Davey: Well. Are you *sure* the only thing the vampires did was make you unable to speak about that? They could have put all kinds o stuff in your head. How would you know? PM Ella: I am completely unsure. I can only hope that at some point in this dizzy nightmare parade, I get a chance to find out. PM Canto: Davey: Also, I know that magic and its workings are still unknown to you. But the spell that is animating me requires a constant connection. Which means that there is a Thule agent on this rooftop, maintaining the spell. PM Ella: Interesting. PM Canto: Davey: I'm not really Davey, you see. Just his shell and the remnants of his personality. I was told to ask the question, but apparently he had a strong personality so I'm able to warn you to be vigilant. PM Ella: Well, thanks for that, you poor soul. Or, you know, lack of one. PM Canto: Davey: Well. It's only a matter of time before this body gets obliterated in any number of ways. They won't like it that I warned you about the Thule agent, but what do I care? PM Ella: Heh. It's Max, isn't it. Max or someone else who was in earshot. PM Canto: Davey: I have no idea. PM Ella: Eh, worth a shot. PM Canto: Davey: Could be anyone. PM | Edited 8:37:08 PM Canto: Davey: Hell. It might not even be true. Maybe this is all just to mess with your head and sow discontent. PM Canto: Davey: I'm really just a mouthpiece here. No clue. PM Ella: Unfortunately, I am treating this situation a great deal less seriously than I likely should be. PM Canto: Davey: Probably. You -- PM Canto: And then he gets hit by a bolt of magical energy and is sent flying across the dance floor! Your pretty dress gets singed. And that's where we'll leave it.